


Level Four

by beaglesinbowties (Girlblunder)



Series: It's all fun and games until somebody falls in love [4]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Comedy, F/F, Friendship, Gamer!Kara, Mild Sexual Content, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-19 06:38:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9422789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Girlblunder/pseuds/beaglesinbowties
Summary: It’s only been a few days since Alex’s painful confession, and Kara's doing her best to help Alex adjust to a new way of thinking - without pressure, of course. Streaming helps her feel normal while so many things are about to change.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Ah, yes. I've been wanting to get this out, and since progress on my MC work is slow, I thought I'd go ahead and finish it. This picks up very soon after Level Three ends. If you're curious, there is *one* more planned piece to this series. :)
> 
> Thanks to goshdarnitjay (dare121) for looking this over for mistakes.

* * *

Kara groans as she exits the deli she works at part time, immediately untucking her uniform shirt. She undoes the top two buttons, finally feeling like she can breathe despite the heavy heat hanging in the air.

It’s not that she hates her work exactly, but she doesn’t quite love it. The free and discounted sandwiches are nice, but facing impatient and hungry people all the time tends to wear her down.

“Oh, they let you out on time. Nice.”

Alex’s voice immediately makes her perk up, a smile already blossoming on her face.

“I didn’t know you’d be picking me up today,” Kara blurts out. Her heartbeat accelerates when Alex smiles and shrugs.

“I had time, so I told Winn not to worry about it today.” Alex tilts her head toward her black sedan. “You ready?”

Kara nods and folds her hands in front of herself, tempted to move forward and brush Alex’s hair back for reasons she doesn’t want to examine. “Yep.”

“Well then, get in,” Alex encourages with a jingle of her keys.

“Right, yeah.” Kara moistens her lips and rounds Alex’s car, worried that her suddenly sweaty hands are going to make opening the passenger door a problem.

Her worry is unfounded as she easily opens the door, and she breathes a silent sigh of relief once she settles inside. The leather is surprisingly cool against her back, and she sighs again and closes her eyes.

“Difficult shift?”

There’s another jingling of keys, and then the car starts.

Kara forces her eyes open, shifting lazily against the headrest so she can look at Alex. The air conditioner feels heavenly against her skin. “Ugh,” is all she can manage to say. She wishes she were off for the rest of the week, but, alas.

Alex laughs, the pleasant sound rippling through Kara and making her pulse accelerate again.

It’s been three days and nineteen hours since Kara discovered her feelings aren’t as one-sided as she’d believed, and three days and nineteen hours since her _almost_ kiss with Alex.

Though she and Alex had talked and cuddled that night, they hadn’t done much else since. Kara’s resolute in giving Alex whatever time she needs to get her head on right, to feel _okay_ about something that she’d been apparently told was _wrong_ for years.

For a moment Kara’s blood boils, her fists clenching tightly against her thighs.

“That bad, huh?” Alex murmurs softly, and then her hand is covering one of Kara’s.

Her cool fingertips trace Kara’s knuckles, soft and soothing.

Kara immediately relaxes. She manages a small smile, just for Alex. “It wasn’t the worst day, but I definitely wouldn’t say I had a good one either.”

Alex hums and squeezes her hand. “I’ll make something nice for dinner.”

“Like what?” Kara perks up despite Alex’s retreating hand.

“Let me think about what we’ve got,” Alex says absently as she shifts gears and reverses the car. “It’s pretty hot again today - how about a chicken salad? I bought lots of veggies earlier, and there’s still some of that smoked chicken.”

Though Kara isn’t much of a salad person, Alex tends to make things somehow exactly the way she likes. “I’m sold.”

“Great.”

Kara’s eyes droop. It’ll take a bit for them to get through traffic to the safety of their apartment, and the car is peacefully quiet - just what Kara needs after hours stuck in the noisy din of the deli. Alex seems to always know what she needs.

Winn tends to fill their time in his car with chatter or the latest underground band he’s fascinated with. She’s grateful for the days she doesn’t need to rely on public transportation (especially during National City’s hottest months), so she never complains.

But, still...she appreciates the silence nearly as much as she does just getting to be around Alex.

She manages to keep her eyes just slightly open, fascinated by the flex of Alex’s hands as she shifts gears. Alex always drives with absolute confidence, something Kara finds inexplicably attractive. She supposes it doesn’t help that Alex is dressed in dark fitted slacks and a creamy white blouse today. Kara sucks in her bottom lip; Alex’s shirt is unbuttoned just enough for her to see the small shadowed dip of Alex’s collarbone.

“You look nice today,” she says without thinking. It’s not that she minds complimenting Alex (she doesn’t), it’s more that her voice is suspiciously, embarrassingly, deep.

Alex smiles and briefly glances at Kara. “Dr. Krull asked me to cover one of her classes today, and I was going to say no but then I remembered it’s her anniversary.”

“That’s nice of you,” Kara replies. She’s grinning and she can’t help it. Doesn’t want to, in fact. Alex is always remembering details like that, and she’s always had a soft spot for people she respects and admires.

“What?” Alex asks with narrowed eyes when she glances Kara’s way again.

Kara bites her lip and looks away to the passing scenery as she tries to contain her mirth. “Nothing.”

“No, come on. Spit it out.”

“It’s just that,” Kara pauses and looks at Alex from under her lashes, “in high school you had this certain kind of aura, and everyone was kind of scared of you. I wonder what they’d all think if they knew you were such a big mushball.”

Alex makes a noise in her throat, something strangled and no doubt displeased if her expression is anything to go by. “I’m not a mushball.”

“You _so_ are. You’re like a big bowl of squishy, emotional pudding.”

“ _What_? Ew, that sounds _so_ gross and, also, _not true_. If you said that to basically anyone that knows me I’m pretty sure they’d laugh in your face.” Alex is going to say something else, but then the light turns green and she’s focusing on moving them forward and avoiding a car that’s made a poor attempt at squeezing ahead of them.

Kara waits until Alex has successfully maneuvered them away from the near-collision to speak again. With anyone else at the wheel maybe she might have been nervous, but she’s fully confident in Alex’s driving.

“Not true,” Kara continues their previous conversation. “ _I_ know you, and I say you’re a mushball.”

Alex releases an aggrieved sigh and rolls her eyes. “Your opinion doesn’t count.”

Offended (and maybe just the tiniest bit hurt) Kara straightens. “Why not?”

The car is silent for a few moments. Alex licks her lips and clears her throat, diligently focused on the road. “You’re the only one that gets to see that side of me.”

Kara’s cheeks feel warm, and when she hazards a glance at Alex, she can see that she’s not the only one blushing. Her heart pounds and her skin prickles, and she forces herself to look anywhere but at Alex. She wants nothing more than to reach out to her then, to tangle their fingers together and tug Alex closer - there’s nothing she wants more than to _kiss_ Alex.

She braces herself against the feeling. Alex needs to be ready for something like that, and Kara would much prefer that their first kiss wouldn’t be some hurried thing as they sit through beastly traffic, anyway.

Another red light brings the car to a standstill.

“Hey,” comes the low word, and then Alex is taking her hand and carefully pulling it closer.

Kara’s lips part when a single chaste kiss is pressed to the back of her hand. Alex doesn’t say anything else, but her eyes speak volumes as the kiss lingers. She squeezes Kara’s hand once and then guides it back to Kara’s lap.

Their hands remain together for the briefest of moments, and then Alex’s attention is turned once again to driving as the light turns green.

The skin on the back of Kara’s hand tingles long after the contact is gone, and she finds herself tracing the spot with reverence. She can _easily_ wait however long Alex needs.

*

“I’m so glad you guys could watch us today,” Kara says cheerfully to her cam, “especially since we won’t be around tomorrow.”

It’s Friday, and Kara couldn’t be happier. She’s free from school and work for the next thirty-six hours, and Alex has agreed to hang out with her for an extended stream. She glances to her left where Alex is still setting up, biting the inside of her lip before again addressing her viewers.

“We’re taking it easy today with some good ol’ mmorpg-ing, and we have a little bit of a surprise for those of you that have made it.” Another quick look at Alex garners a slightly nervous nod, and then Kara is clicking a few times.

“Hi everyone,” Alex says as she offers the newly added webcam at the top of her laptop a wave. Kara had insisted on buying something better than her default cam, though she’s certain no device could ever make Alex look anything close to bad.

Kara grins when there’s a burst of activity in the chat, pleased to mostly see her old regulars hanging out. She’d gotten a ton of new follows because of The_MManhunter, but thankfully they tended to only really be interested in her FPS gameplay. Not that Kara didn’t like having more followers, but sometimes she missed the comfortable feel of just chilling with her regulars.

 _[1:03]_ **kawaii917** : girlfriend-sama has a cam ღ(ಥ⌣ಥღ)  
 _[1:03]_ **C4ndy1776** : shiiiiiit  
 _[1:03]_ **7ways2up** : beautiful  
 _[1:03]_ **(admin)jim_bob_jones** : my crops are growing, my pores are clear,  
 _[1:04]_ **(admin)allidoiswinn** : WHEN DID JIM GET ADMIN  
 _[1:04]_ **supatroopa** : ...i can’t words  
 _[1:04]_ **SynergyGaming101** : so glad I could make today’s stream  
 _[1:04]_ **icest_nicest** : girlfriend dual stream, ty bb jesus

“Don’t get too used to this,” Alex says seriously. “I’m pretty busy, but I did tell Kara I’d go on cam with her today.”

“We’re lucky to have her,” Kara adds, briefly distracted when Alex reaches up to comb a hand through her hair. She bites her lip and then internally shakes herself. It’s better if she looks away for now if she wants to be able to actually function. “So, Alex and I are about to log on. We’re going to start off with a little questing, and then in a bit we’ll run some dungeons. As always, anyone around our level is welcome to join our dungeon group.”

She keeps an eye on chat as she logs in, smiling a time or two at the comments - mostly effusive reactions to Alex’s cam.

“Man, it’s been a long time since I played my assassin. I’m gonna be so rusty.” Alex grunts to emphasize her assessment.

“I’ve got your back,” Kara cheerfully declares. “Monks are pretty easy mode these days.”

“My hero.” Alex’s patronizing delivery is made all the better when she turns and flutters her eyelashes at Kara.

Kara tilts her head. “Fine, I _won’t_ help you if you look like you’re about to die.”

“Yes you will,” Alex replies matter-of-factly.

As Kara opens her mouth to refute Alex’s claim, a warm hand finds its way to the bare skin of her knee. Kara snaps her mouth shut, making an audible clicking sound. Her heart pounds, and she’s glad that her knee is out of sight of the camera.

“I’d do the same for you,” Alex continues with a glint in her eye that makes Kara swallow.

“Right. Yeah. Yep,” Kara squeaks out. She hurriedly clicks on her character to let it load, trying her best not to look at the chat but ultimately failing.

 _[1:15]_ **7ways2up** : she’s *really* red  
 _[1:15]_ **icest_nicest** : someone get her some water  
 _[1:16]_ **kawaii917** : what’s girlfriend-sama’s hand doing? ( ﾟヮﾟ)っ♥  
 _[1:16]_ **C4ndy1776** : welcome to yuri network  
 _[1:16]_ **(admin)jim_bob_jones** : *covers winn’s eyes*  
 _[1:16]_ **(admin)allidoiswinn** : THEY’RE SISTERS  
 _[1:16]_ **icest_nicest** : what?  
 _icest_nicest is now following Super_G  
_ _[1:16]_ **supatroopa** : welcome to the fam, icest. does ur name mean what I think it does?  
 _[1:17]_ **icest_nicest** : ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Kara swallows and hopes Alex doesn’t look at the chat. Though Alex is used to how Kara’s followers act, it’s Winn’s response that has her worried. Alex is only just beginning to get comfortable with her feelings - _their_ feelings.

To her relief Alex is too focused on her game to notice the flurry of text, and Kara holds her breath until she sees Winn’s text pushed from view.

“You gonna join my group?”

Kara blinks and moves her mouse to accept Alex’s invite. “Yep. Where to?”

“Hm, well, the monsters were getting kinda easy in the last place I was. Where would you suggest?” Alex gives her a curious look.

“I’m glad you asked, we’re in the right level range for one of my favorite zones,” Kara begins, offering Alex a grin.

*

Kara’s brow is furrowed as she pulls another group of enemies, keeping an eye out for any strays that might begin suddenly focusing on their healer. They’re almost finished clearing the dungeon, but Kara likes to make sure all the baddies are focusing on her - like they should be.

She smiles when she catches sight of Alex’s assassin furiously attacking one mob after another.

Beside her, Alex is muttering to herself as she mashes buttons and moves her mouse.

Kara is certain that it’s not just having Alex’s character with her in game (though that is undoubtedly cool) that has her feeling so happy, but the warmth of Alex’s knee almost pressed into the bare skin of her thigh.

One of her addons makes a warning sound, and then Kara’s attention is back on an extra spawn headed for the healer.

“They’re all de-ad,” Alex singsongs when the last enemy falls.

“Should I be worried you look so happy about that?” There’s a smile curling Kara’s lips.

“Of course not, Kara,” Alex replies with a raised chin, “especially if all the times I’ve murdered you in our shooter haven’t already made you worried.”

Kara snorts and chuckles, shaking her head. “Who said that didn’t worry me?” She makes a point to look into her cam. Her _Office_ moment is ruined when there’s suddenly a sharp pain in her side.

“Ow!” she blurts out, more surprised than hurt. She rubs her side and glares at Alex. “What was that for?”

Alex gives her an innocent look. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Right.” Kara narrows her eyes, but turns back to her screen. She wants to retaliate, but there’s one more boss to down before the dungeon is clear - and she can strike.

Though Kara isn’t always the most patient person, she bides her time. The boss goes down slower than she would like, but as soon as she sees it begin to fall, she makes her move.

“Whoo, we go--ack! Kara!” comes Alex’s undignified screech.

Kara grins and turns back to her computer. She knows the ticklish spot on Alex’s back well, though she’s avoided taking advantage of that knowledge for years (after a rather blustery threat from Alex, in fact).

She’s fairly certain Alex won’t murder her - at least not on cam - so Kara goes about looting the boss as if nothing has happened.

Until an off-balance pounce from Alex sends them both careening out of their seats.

“ _Alex_ ,” Kara cries out, half in pain and half in laughter. She’d landed hard, but the look on Alex’s face is priceless.

“We had a deal! Never there!” Alex winces and rolls so she’s half hovering over Kara. “Now all bets are off.” The last is said in a low and menacing voice.

Kara’s eyes widen. “You wouldn’t.”

“You knew what would happen,” Alex intones solemnly, though her eyes are sparkling.

“Noooo,” comes Kara’s long drawn out cry as she tries to evade Alex’s nimble fingertips. Alex is relentless as she tickles Kara’s sensitive sides.

The laughter is uncontrollable, almost painful with its intensity. Kara makes a quick reach for Alex’s back, getting an unhappy squeal when she’s successful.

It’s all she needs to squirm away and make a beeline for her bedroom, but she can hear Alex’s footsteps pounding behind her.

Unfortunately, Kara’s not exactly the most graceful of people. When she tries to jerk her door open, she ends up smacking herself in the face. When her eyes water this time, it’s purely because of the pain.

“Kara,” Alex’s hands are light and careful on her back, “are you okay?”

Kara huffs from behind her raised hands, resting her forehead against the cool wood of the door.

Alex’s hands are insistent, and Kara eventually turns with a sulk. She’s not happy.

“Let me see,” Alex coaxes with tender hands.

The stubborn side of Kara makes her want to push Alex’s hands away, but when she looks at Alex’s face she buckles; Alex looks so _worried_.

Kara allows her hands to drop, looking away with a swallow when Alex steps closer to examine her face and nose.

“There’s no blood, and I don’t think it’s broken,” Alex murmurs. The tickle of her breath against Kara’s face is nearly as soothing as her voice. “But maybe we should get you checked out, just to be sure.”

Alex’s hand cups her cheek, and then Kara can’t look away for a moment longer. The breath stills in her lungs. Alex is so _close_.

She licks her lips, biting the inside of her cheek when Alex reflexively does the same. If she just...but, no. Kara won’t initiate anything until she’s sure Alex is ready.

“Let’s get you some ice and maybe,” Alex’s words slow, and then she’s silent as her eyes trace Kara’s face. The look is intense, exposing such utter care and tenderness that Kara feels breathless at having witnessed it.

Kara closes her eyes when Alex tilts her head upward, no doubt to kiss her nose - except it’s not her nose.

Alex’s lips are careful against her own; soft and hesitant, but then Alex is stepping so their fronts are pressed together and the hand on Kara’s cheek is suddenly sliding through her hair and pulling her minutely closer.

It’s not fireworks like Kara has read, but an intense ache in her chest and elsewhere - one that has her not minding a lack of oxygen as long as she and Alex can stay like this. Her blood thrums through her veins as if in welcome to Alex’s.

There’s a pull in her abdomen that’s mirrored in the way Alex’s body tries to shift closer, closer, even as their hands restlessly search for a way to make such a thing possible.

As Alex pulls back to inhale oxygen that she’s sorely deprived herself of, Kara wonders if anything else could ever possibly feel half as wonderful.

Her eyelashes flutter open, the needy breaths from Alex’s lips making her own tingle all the more.

“That was,” Alex swallows and let’s out a shuddering breath. She seems unable to look away from Kara’s face, one hand delicately tracing Kara’s features as the other lightly massages the back of Kara’s head.

The movements feel hypnotic, and Kara is entranced by Alex’s slightly swollen lips and half-lidded eyes. She can’t recall a time when she’s seen Alex like this, but she already knows she wants to see her looking like this again - as often as possible. “Yeah,” she husks out.

A shiver visibly ripples through Alex, and then she leans forward to press a single chaste kiss to Kara’s mouth. “Later,” she promises.

Kara hums her agreement, pulling Alex close and resting their foreheads together to enjoy the closeness - just for a moment, just to allow her body to relax from the high intensity of Alex’s kisses. The hug soothes them both.

“Kara,” Alex says after some seconds have passed, “the, uh, cams can’t see over here, right?”

The calm that has just settled over Kara abruptly evaporates, her eyes going wide. “No.”

They don’t, but Kara is already aware their absence (and the quiet) will have her viewers coming up with their own wild ideas. She clears her throat and tries to act nonchalant. “Why don’t, uh, we...grab some water and then settle back down. We’re supposed to stream for a while longer.”

Alex nuzzles closer to her briefly. “K. Why don’t I grab the water while you get us set back up? Maybe you can think about what you want to order for dinner?”

She’s so beautiful with her head tilted just so, lips still slightly swollen, that Kara can’t help pressing one last languid kiss to them. “Sounds good,” she whispers as she pulls away.

The look she receives can only be described as _hungry_ , and it’s all Kara can do to press herself back against her door instead of reaching out to pull Alex in for yet another kiss.

Alex’s expression turns mischievous, and she quirks a brow at Kara before retreating to the kitchen.

Kara let’s out a slow breath as she watches her go, internally both sorry and grateful for that the late summer heat has Alex again in shorts and a simple tank top. Her head thunks back against the door, and the quick shot of pain does wonders in getting her to settle down. Again.

She sighs and heads back to her desk.

 _[3:43]_ **icest_nicest** : TICKLE FIGHT  
 _[3:43]_ **kawaii917** : kara-san, not there (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)  
 _[3:43]_ **C4ndy1776** : where are they going  
 _[3:43]_ **(admin)jim_bob_jones** : oh. ohhhh. *covers winn’s eyes*  
 _[3:44]_ **supatroopa** : I don’t hear anything, what do u think…  
 _[3:44]_ **kawaii917** : oh kara-san (~˘▾˘)~ yes, kara-san ~(˘▾˘~)  
 _[3:44]_ **icest_nicest** : I CRI, AND IT IS JOY  
 _[3:45]_ **(admin)allidoiswinn** : I GIEV UP EVEN I’VE READ THIS MANGA.  
 _[3:45]_ **(admin)jim_bob_jones** : a noble defeat  
 _[3:45]_ **SynergyGaming101** : sweet, sweet yuri

Kara can only make a strangled noise in her throat and as she vigorously ignores chat, her face feeling as if it’s on fire.

*

The stream ends when their food arrives, and Kara breathes a sigh of relief when she and Alex are settled down at the couch with full plates. The apartment is blissfully quiet, and Kara inhales the first three potstickers with unabashed joy. She feels decadent, slumped against the cushions and enjoying some of her favorite food.

Alex laughs, making Kara smile. She makes a show of chewing, inspiring another round of laughter.

“I’m glad I agreed to do this with you,” Alex says. She’s smiling, and her eyes are warm and affectionate.

“Me too,” Kara agrees once she’s swallowed down her food. “I love hanging out with you.”

Alex bobs her head, her fork idly twirling through her noodles.

Kara frowns and straightens from her slouch. Though Alex has eaten a little, it hasn’t been much. “What’s wrong?”

“I…” The words must stall in Alex’s throat, because she shrugs rather than continuing.

There’s something about the look on her face that makes Kara worry, and then Kara’s carefully collecting Alex’s plate and depositing both it and her own on the coffee table. She makes a tentative reach for Alex’s hand.

To her relief, Alex doesn’t hesitate to interlace their fingers.

“What is it?” Kara softly insists.

Alex angles her head downward, her hair sweeping forward to hide her face. Kara can just barely see her throat working before Alex is once again looking back at her.

“The party is tomorrow.”

The room is quiet.

There’s a thousand and one things that must be racing in Alex’s mind; not just Eliza and the act they’ll have to put on, but the looming threat of the date Eliza is certain to attempt to push Kara’s way, and the tangled emotions of too many feelings pushed down and away for too long. Those alone would be enough, but Alex never does anything halfway. That includes worrying.

Kara runs her thumb along the back of Alex’s hand. “Yeah.”

She waits.

“Kara...what is it we’re doing?”

On another day, perhaps Kara might be concerned about Alex’s tone, softly detached and distant. But today she sees the shaky way Alex’s chest moves, feels the subtle tremble in Alex’s hand.

Today, she and Alex have kissed, and any doubt Kara had about the depth of Alex’s feelings had disappeared in the long moments when they’d stood pressed so close together that it had been impossible for Alex to hide the truth of her feelings. Her rich hazel eyes had hidden nothing, and Kara will never be able to forget the devotion and trust she’d been privy to.

“What feels right,” she finally says.

Alex inhales sharply and sends Kara a startled look.

“It does, doesn’t it? Shove away all that stuff Eliza told you, Alex.” Kara brings their joined hands up so they’re clearly in Alex’s line of sight. “Tell me how it really feels, just to you.”

Again, Alex is silent. Her eyes study their hands as if they’re foreign objects, unblinking in her concentration. She looks away. Kara’s stomach clenches despite the confidence she’s trying to exude.

“Yes,” Alex admits quietly. “It does...feel right.”

Kara is overcome with emotion - exuberance, love, and a hundred other things she couldn’t name because her tongue is twisted and there’s fluttering in her stomach. _I love you_ , she wants to blurt out, but she doesn’t. Alex has heard it before, and part of Kara worries at pushing too much, too soon on her still unsteady shoulders. “Then that’s all that matters,” she says instead.

When Alex draws closer, Kara doesn’t object, instead reveling in the spontaneous hug. She’s in no rush to explore this newness with Alex, though she is undoubtedly looking forward to every new experience. She loves Alex, and everything else can wait.

As long as Alex is happy, she can wait.

“Just to be clear,” Alex enunciates as they settle back on the couch and Kara redistributes their plates, “even though we’re still figuring this out, I don’t intend to...date...anyone else while we do.”

Alex’s cheeks hold just a hint of pink, and Kara’s overcome with joy. “You’re the only one I want to date, Alex,” she says without thinking.

Her one consolation, Kara considers as her face heats up, is just how captivating Alex looks right before she presses a lingering kiss to the corner of Kara’s mouth. The promises and adoration left unspoken are heard as easily as if Alex had shouted them from the top of her lungs.

“Eat,” Alex says with a laugh, her nose crinkling adorably when Kara’s stomach takes the opportunity to groan its protest.

Kara blushes harder and picks up her fork, but she’s grinning while she eats.


End file.
